Constant Caution
by Archive of the Prophet
Summary: "If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Shao Kahn has his sights set on the world of Remnant. Can the heroes save their world? This story is both a sequel to "I Know You Understand" and takes place at the same time as "Parallels". Please read all three to get the whole story! :D Rate/Review/Favorite/Share


Fire erupted as he walked toward the scared young woman. She cowered, as if terrified, and yet still tried to make a brave face. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, and while she was scared of him, she did not _fear_ him, as so many others had before. This was something he had expected. Perhaps she was looking for an opening. Warriors must be fearless, powerful, and dedicated. She was trying to attain this state, and succeeded for the most part. He squinted and nodded. This one would prove useful in the long run, and it was going to be quite the long run. The people of this realm had never seen battle the likes he had, and knew they needed guardians, as others had before. He would make them ready.

He looked at the young girl once again. "My name is Scorpion, and we need to talk, Defenders of Remnantrealm." He looked at the one in the corner with her weapon drawn. "Please lower your weapon. I am not here for a fight."

"Well, maybe if you knocked and introduced yourself rather than appear from the floor in flames like you did at the airport, I wouldn't have my weapon drawn! I wouldn't feel unsafe!" She huffed and puffed, obviously shaken.

"Blake, chill out. If he wanted to attack, he would have right away. He's not an enemy." A pretty blonde pleaded with her, and she was sitting on her bunk with another pretty girl, but her hair was white. "Weiss and I aren't pulling our gear or readying to attack because we know better. I'm asking you."

Weiss nodded. "Scorpion- he- he could have taken Ruby's life right as she walked in. Trust me. Just hear him out, please Blake."

Blake, while everything in her being told her not to, sheathed her weapon and sat. "Then explain why you stalked me. Prove you're not lying."

"I was trying to see what a fighter you are. Others have had eyes on the rest of you. Learning, watching, always ensuring safety."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

He coughed. "If I was following you for any other reason, you'd never know. I'd have killed you before you could ask."

Blake, uncomfortable, nodded knowingly. "Alright. Tell us what's up."

"Hey, I'm the leader. I'll ask him what's up!" Ruby pointed her finger in the air and scoffed. She shot Scorpion finger pistols. "What's up?"

Scorpion merely shook his head. "I would prefer you didn't make a fool of yourself."

"I usually do. It's kinda my thing."

"This isn't a game, or anything merely laughable. This is impending war. This could mean the end of your world as you know it. How are you going to feel knowing you let the world down just to finger me?" The room erupted in laughter from all of the girls, uproarious and consistent for minutes. Scorpion grew angry, knowing what limited time they had couldn't be squandered on giddy laughter over a misplaced word. He tried to attain patience, as it was wearing very, very thin. "Please try to calm yourselves."

Ruby wiped a tear from her eye, her smile impossible to deter. "Okay, alright. What's going on?"

Scorpion nodded. "A warlord, Shao Kahn, is moving to take your world, seeing as how similar to Earthrealm it is. He has been stopped by the same rules as Earth, in that the realm must put forth its best warriors to defend its realm in Mortal Kombat, a tournament system designed to keep Shao Kahn from conquering Earthrealm without ten consecutive victories in the tournament, across 1000 years." He stepped toward the window. "I was on the wrong side when my realm was under attack. I nearly doomed us all. I helped save us once I got my bearings. I won't let Shao Kahn in here. No one from Earth can afford to."

"Wait, this has happened before? Multiple tournaments? How are we protected in the same way?" Weiss asked.

Scorpion looked her in the eyes. "I'll let our leaders explain that. Raiden would know more than I."

Yang stepped forward. "How are we supposed to help? We're still kids." She looked down at her hands. "None of us have graduated. Hell, we're just closing our first year. The Vytal Festival Tournament hasn't even started."

"You think you aren't qualified? Neither did some of Earth's greatest champions. You haven't seen much action, but with our training and your dedication, we can beat Shao Kahn and stop his campaigns once and for all."

The room grew silent. An open window ushered in a cold autumn breeze, blowing apart the red curtains. Weiss nodded. "If what you say is true, how will we be prepared?"

"How will I be ready for something that important if I can hardly hold my own with a hooligan with a cane?" Blake shook all over. "I don't want to lose, or worse."

Yang sighed. "It sounds like he would enslave our homes and wouldn't stop until he has taken over every last bit?" She giggled a bit. "Have you met the creatures we fight for homework?"

"Yang has a point. If Shen Long-"

"Ruby, that's not his name." Weiss scowled.

"King Kong-"

"That's a monkey."

"Bing bong-"

"Who is it?"

Scorpion growled. "Enough!" He shouted, his eyes filling with fire. "Shao Kahn would take this world his way or another unless we stop him now. We won't get another chance like this, and rather than attempting to take any bit of this seriously, you'd rather act like idiots! Why are we wasting our time on you?"

Ruby shook out her skirt and stood. "Well then, why don't we meet our trainers?"

Scorpion, in disbelief, nodded. His eyes shot to the courtyard outside. "I believe that'd be best. Let's go." Scorpion then erupted into fire, and was subsequently gone.

The four young women stood in a circle. Not one blinked. Not one shivered. Not one even opened their mouths for several seconds, and in their silence came clarity, something beautiful and perfect filled the void. All four women looked at one another and shouted at the same time. "WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Did he say who these people were? Or what?" Weiss locked her fingers with Ruby's.

Yang equipped Ember Celica and shook her head. "Oh, I hope my teacher is not a douchebag. That'd suck nuts."

Blake just walked and scowled. "He said a thousand years. Are we supposed to kill him and move on, or will our people be at war for a thousand years?"

Ruby's smile never faded. "I'll make sure we're all okay. We've got the skills necessary to take on these people. At the end of the day, yeah, we're just kids taking on some sort of Long Shlong-"

"Shao Kahn."

"-Shao Kahn, who's hell bent on conquering these realms for power, or just to destroy. If you look at us though, we're far more dangerous than most others. Our abilities could match theirs, and if we-" Her Scroll started to ring. "Hold that inspirational speech, Penny is calling." She activated her scroll and looked at the other three. "Wazzaaap!" She shouted into the phone.

"Salutations, Team RWBY. I have made contact with Agent Washington. He not only does not want to help me, but wants to know how you know him."

"Tell him a dusty old crow saved his life from a man in white in Vacuo a long time ago."

Silence for a second was long enough to pierce the lack of tension and create a stasis, unchanging and powerful. They had almost reached the courtyard by the time Penny replied.

"I don't know what you said to him but he grabbed his gun and asked where I needed to go. He also asked if the AI had any memories, and they all have to do with choking a soldier in dark blue armor. Do you know anything about that?"

Ruby shook her head. "Nothing."

"Interesting. Well, I'm sure Washington will protect me. I'll have to find Neptune next, I suppose. Thank you so much, Ruby. I'll keep you updated from time to time. Promise me you'll do the same."

"I will."

The scroll closed as they reached the courtyard. A large group of people, about twenty, were crowded around. As they grew closer they all viewed someone they trusted and appreciated.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby shouted, sprinting at him.

Yang smiled. "Taiyang? Daddy?"

"Winter, why are you here? Is dad here?" Weiss' smile broke her sullen composure, her eyes bright.

Blake stood frozen, almost petrified. "S-Sun."


End file.
